WPHS Web Site
HOW IT ALL BEGAN!
     The mention of the creation of an alumni web site occurred at the 40th class reunion, June, 2001. The site was created and online by July 1st. The rest is history as the site has been online for 2 years now and going strong. During the tenure of this web site 80+ classmates have been found or re-found. These classmates, along with all those we have e-mail addresses for, will receive an e-mail with a link to the 2nd annual newsletter. Those we do not have an e-mail address for, along with all those classmates we have on file with no e-connections, will receive a copy of the 2nd annual WPHS Class of 1961 Alumni Web Site newsletter with a brief narrative of the news of this past year as it pertains to classmates. You can click HERE for a copy of their newsletter in *.pdf format. You will need Acrobat Reader to load the file.
WHAT'S BEEN HAPPENING DURING 2002-2003?

Buddy Kirk & Bob Danforth

Remember Dexter Coffman?

Can you find Coach Orr?

     August, 2002, Bobby Danforth visited his in-laws with his wife, Barbara, in Alaska the end of July -- early August. He had connected with Buddy Kirk earlier through the alumni web site and they made plans to meet up with one another. On arrival, Bob called Buddy and they set aside time one evening to meet. Neither had seen one another for over 40 years but were drawn together via the web site. Click HERE to visit with Bob and Barbara on a photoshoot.
     Holiday wishes were shared with classmates again this past Christmas via the web site. With the events of September 11th, 2001 having been over a year old, none of us had forgotten -- but all had gotten on with their lives while remembering Christmas 2001 and how our holiday season had taken on a whole different perspective. Just prior to Christmas 2002 holiday season, classmates shared with us some of their feelings of the events of the previous year.You can click HERE to view the 2002 wishes.
     Remember Dexter Coffman? Dexter was visiting Pudd Mudd and his wife in Atlanta when the subject of the alumni web site came up. When Dexter got back to California he got on his computer and visited the site. Next step -- he wrote an e-mail to us, told us about his visit with Pudd, and said he would like to be a part of the action. Dexter moved away after growing up with us and finishing junior high. He went on to military school. You can read about Dexter by clicking HERE. Several former classmates have found the alumni web site and joined in the fun. We are hopeful there will be other classmates from our early years who will find our web site and get back together with us. Bonnie Fuller, Sandra Flowers and Dexter Coffman were with us during the early years. There are others and many more out there who haven't found us yet. But they will!
     Classmate Bob Danforth passed away suddenly February 6, 2003. We had just found Bob the first year our web site was online. Just a month before the cookout Bob Cross and wife Cheryl put on in April, 2001, we made contact with Bob. He came to the cookout and visited with classmates he hadn't seen for over 40 years. It was a great event and we were delighted to have found Bob. He was very active in promoting the site and, in fact, had found a few classmates and even visited with them and shared pictures with us. Bob and his wife Barbara were in the final stages of planning a fishing trip to beat ALL fishing trips for April 26th. Classmates were coming in from as far away as Indiana, Alabama and Virginia -- Tennessee and Georgia, included. After the outing a backyard cookout was planned at Bob and Barbara's house in New Smyrna. Some classmates commemorated Bobby's life and love of fishing on April 26th, 2003. Click HERE to see what they had to say.
      The 75th Anniversary of WPHS - This event was celebrated in Central Park on Park Avenue on April 5th, 2003. Some pictures and a short video clip can be found by clicking HERE. Coach Orr showed up at this event along with his lovely wife and what a pleasant surprise it was to all of us to be able to visit with him. Julie Baldwin's uncle, Maynard Baldwin, was honored as being the oldest living WPHS graduate. Lynn Nidy's dad was at the event as well and must have been runner up to Mr. Baldwin.
      During this past year we were contacted by WPHS's new coordinator for Alumni Affairs, Barbara Jones. Through her we have been kept current on upcoming WPHS events. She is attempting to build a newsy alumni web site which can be accessed by visiting the main web site for WPHS.
     Glenridge Junior High School (Glenridge Middle School) is close to completion of the construction of their new facility across the street from the old school. Tom Tobin took a trip over to the old campus in January. You can visit his pictures by clicking HERE. The current Glenridge administration is looking for stories and memorabilia for a 'memory book' they are assembling to be available for the dedication of their new facility. There you will find an e-mail address of the person in charge of collection of memorabilia along with information pertaining to volunteers needed. They are appealing to those who attended Glenridge in it's early years for assistance. As the charter class of Glenridge Junior High School it is hoped you have some memorabilia you can contribute.
      George Fisher told us he was going through an old cedar chest and came up with The Glenridge 1957-58 student handbook (our 9th grade) with a picture of student council officers: Frank Ferguson, Pres; Chan Muller, VP; Linda Schmidt, Sec; & Sandra Flowers, Treas. A copy of the Nov. 14, 1957 Glenridge Lions vs Robert E. Lee football game with a good picture of the Glenridge cheerleaders. All issues of 1957-58 “The Kilt” Glenridge newspaper, and the March 26, 1956 issue for the opening of the new Glenridge building along with copies of the “Plaid” literary magazine and the March 29, 1958 “Lion’s Pride” dedicated to the Class of ’58. He is donating these memorabilia to Glenridge for their collection.
      The phone number for Glenridge is (407) 623-1415...no mention on their web site as to whether the phone is staffed during the summer months.
      Mini Reunion in Georgia for WPHS Class of 1961 alums is in the planning stages. Classmates Dick Bergen, Susan Carter, Bob Craft, Larry Fennelly, Pudd Mudd, Brenda O'Steen, Lynn Ricks, John Miller, Susan Gray, Bill Ronay, Jeannie Williams, Pat Clark, and Connie Shoup, to name a few, are in the Georgia area. Dick Bergen and Bill Ronay are attempting to pull a group together. Please contact either Dick or Bill if you would like to participate or to be among those who receive the updates on the planning of the event. Perhaps you have an idea of where the group can meet! It could be either a luncheon or, quite possibly, a backyard barbeque -- who knows!
     WPHS Class of 1963 has their 40th reunion scheduled for Fall, 2003. If you click HERE you will go to a web page we set up on our site in order to help them promote the event. The web page has links to their own reunion web page. We wish them well as they plan for their very special event. Classmate Jack Billingham's wife, Jolene, is a member of the 1963 graduating class and is a member of their reunion committee.
     The Events of September 11, 2001 web page has been revised. It's important that we do not forget the tragedy of that day and the effect it has had on our country and all it's citizens. Our generation is the best of the best but we have grown up with one conflict after another - WWII, the Korean conflict, the Viet Nam era and now terrorism -- a kind of war we, as citizens of this great country, have been protected from up until now. We have our sons and daughters fighting over in the Middle East -- they are fighting for Iraqi freedom, some are fighting because their Commander and Chief has directed them, and they are fighting to get home safely. Yes, they are 'peacekeepers', they are attempting to resupply the Iraqi people with the basic necessities of life, and they are being wounded and some killed in the process. This generation of young men and women have never known such devastation and suffering as they are being exposed to over in the Middle East. They are seeing not only a people on the other side of the world being caught up in terror and fear, but they are seeing their comrades being maimed and killed while trying to make peace in an un-peaceful country. Let's not forget them -- remember to Support Our Troops - because whether you approve of this war or not, our troops are supporting you!
     The Announcements Web Page - This web page continues to be the most up-to-date page in the entire web site. By visiting the Announcements web page at the start of your 'return' visit you will find posted the most recently added information. Additionally, you will find links to 'notices' posted to the web site, copies of e-mails sent out by the web site committee, the link to the Obituary web page, and links to other web pages of interest incorporated within the site.
      Classmate participation is key to the success of the alumni web site. A special thanks goes out to Sharon May and Dick Bergen for providing leads and making connection with 'lost' classmates. David Smith and Chip Lipps were instrumental in helping locate classmates, as well. Pudd Mudd talking with Dexter Coffman about the web site prompted Dexter's participation. Thanks, Pudd! Buddy Richards told us of classmate Doris Taylor's passing back in 1975.
     Although we had the mail address for Sue Trapnell, it was Marcia Gruber providing us with her e-mail address and now Sue has responded and will be sending in her picture and bio in the near future. There are some classmates who 'promised' pictures and bio's who have not yet followed through but we expect at any time to get their input and our 'then and now' web pages will be completely up-to-date.
WHERE DO WE GO FROM HERE?
     Since the posting of this new web site classmates who have been disconnected from one another have made contact. Some have not only connected via the internet but have traveled from one home to another to visit with and to talk about all the years in between since high school.     
     Share with us stories of how you connected with a classmate via this web site. We want to hear from you. You can click HERE to read a bit about how the site has affected classmates.
     We are looking for more pictures, as well. Pictures and newspaper articles if you have any. Your web'mistress will be delighted to post the pictures to the web site along with your name for contributing. The pictures and their captions have made the web site the success that it is.
     Don't forget, if you change your e-mail address you should contact Mary Phillips or Bill Ronay so they can update your records to ensure you receive the most recent e-mails from your classmates.
     This web site does not maintain itself. We have tracked down a few classmates who forgot to contact us when e-mail addresses were changed. Help us eliminate broken links and undeliverable e-mails. Remember to contact us of any snail-mail or e-mail changes. Many thanks.
CLASSMATES SHARING EVENTS OF 2002-2003